So, This Is Brotherly Love?
by Super Chino
Summary: Denial of an ice cream sundae pushes Seth to the brink where Ryan is concerned. What's a little wrestling among brothers? Kirsten and the Nana admire the relationship between Seth and Ryan. You'll laugh the next time you eat an enchilada! LOL! : D


Soooo...I was really in the mood for some brotherly fun. Good old fashioned tormenting! LOL! Thanks to the right challenge criteria, this little story evolved in my head. Lots of fun in this fluff!!! I'm gonna have a hard time looking at an enchilada without smiling now! ENJOY!!! : D  
  
So, This is Brotherly Love?  
  
Considering it was supposed to be a Saturday afternoon, Ryan was disappointed to find himself in the kitchen at the breakfast counter, surrounded by homework. He wasn't even sure how he got so far behind, but he was going to be all work and no play all weekend if he didn't get down to brass tacks and get this done. Seth, in complete denial of his own homework needs, was doing his best to coax Ryan away from his studies. Doing cannonballs in the pool, running in and out of the pool house and even smashing his wet body against the pool house windows to get Ryan's attention. Ryan couldn't help but laugh at his attempts but in the end, he had to abandon the pool house for the sanctity of the kitchen in an effort to knock out his homework.  
  
"So...it looks like Seth is the one having all the fun today. Why aren't you outside on this beautiful day?"  
  
The voice caught Ryan off guard. Raising his head from his English Lit book, his eyes came to rest on the Nana. Sure he had heard Seth tell plenty of stories about how 'different' she was, but Ryan was cursed in a unique way when it came to the Nana. She seemed to love him almost as much as Seth and she just wouldn't leave him alone. Ryan hadn't dealt with Grandparents in years and the entire concept was a bit uncomfortable to him.  
  
"I've got a lot of homework to do." Dropping his eyes back to his books, he hoped the Nana would get the hint. But, this was the Nana and she wasn't going anywhere.  
  
"Oh come on now. You telling me you can't afford just a little bit of time in that pool with Sethula? Look at him out there. You could be having fun too you know."  
  
"Maybe later."  
  
The Nana made her way around the counter to Ryan's side. Grasping his pen with both hands, he drew in a deep breath. "Here it comes," he thought to himself.  
  
"Such a good boy!" The Nana praised. Taking Ryan's face in her hands, she tipped his head so she was looking right at her. "You've always got your priorities in line don't you Ryan?"  
  
Raising his eyebrows, Ryan forced a smile. She was holding his face so tight he could only imagine he looked like a chipmunk when he smiled just then.  
  
"Well, I'm going to make you a little homework pick me up. How does that sound?"  
  
Ryan was already well versed in the fact that the Nana never took 'no' for an answer. Since fighting her will was a futile point, he thought maybe he could, at the very least, delay her idea until later.  
  
"You really don't need to...I mean...I should really work on this. Maybe later."  
  
"Maybe later...maybe later. Sweetie, you're wishing your life away if you leave all the good stuff until later! Now, just keep right on studying, don't mind me. I'll be as quiet as a mouse."  
  
Nervously Ryan looked back at his books trying to take her advice, but the truth was, even though she was indeed being quiet, now he was wondering what she was up to. After reading the same paragraph four times, he gave in to his curiosity and let his eyes drift across the counter to see what the Nana was doing.  
  
"Ah ah ah...no peeking!"  
  
Embarrassed that he got caught, his eyes snapped back to the book and he frowned at the page trying to concentrate. Jotting notes in his binder, his mind was still not at one hundred percent. No matter how hard he tried, this just wasn't working. Just when he was thinking he should excuse himself back to the pool house and take his chances with Seth, the Nana announced she was finished.  
  
"Waa laa! A homework pick me up fit for a King!"  
  
Ryan's mouth dropped open. The Nana walked over and set down an ice cream sundae that could have easily fed three people or, one Seth. She was either oblivious to the fact that Ryan never ate much, or she just didn't care. The sundae was loaded with fresh fruit, drizzled with chocolate sauce and piled high with whipped cream. Ryan stared at the frozen creation in front of him. His mouth contorted in an effort to spit out some words, but nothing came to mind.  
  
"I know. It's large. Seth would call it ridoinkulous. I'm under the impression that's supposed to be a compliment." Ryan smiled at her. He was afraid to admit it, but she made a pretty amazing sundae.  
  
"Thanks...for that. You didn't have to..."  
  
"Oh but I love to dear," she explained, kissing the top of Ryan's head. Patting his back with one hand, she used her other hand to remove his pen from his hand and replace it with a spoon. "Now, you enjoy your snack and then finish your homework. Okay?"  
  
Sheepishly he nodded with a controlled smile, pulling the dessert closer. "Thanks."  
  
"HEY! What's going on in here? Don't even tell me you made Ryan one of your signature sundaes and didn't make one for me. You know how much I love those! What the hell?!"  
  
"Sethula!" Reaching out, the Nana smacked him in the back of the head. Restraining a laugh, Ryan almost launched his mouthful of ice cream onto his books. "Watch your mouth. You don't talk like this in front of me. Ryan is working hard. He's doing his homework. You? You're playing in the pool. You can have one after dinner."  
  
Turning away from an obviously pouting Seth, she stood near the window refilling her coffee cup. Ryan saw this as an opportunity to twist the knife in a little deeper. Taking a big bite of ice cream and strawberries, he turned to Seth and opened his mouth wide, showing the sundae inside. His shoulders shook and smug grin lit up his face at Seth's exasperated facial expression.  
  
Leaning against the opposite counter, Seth mouthed "You're gonna pay for that!" Sending Ryan into a new round of silent laughing shakes. "Nana he's torturing me! Look at him! Make him stop!"  
  
Unfortunately for Seth, Ryan's old life had taught him all too well, about the power of deception and control. By the time the Nana turned around, Ryan was innocently and angelically eating the ice cream.  
  
"Seth...leave him alone. Now you're dripping all over the floor. Either go and swim or go get dressed."  
  
Defeated, Seth headed out of the kitchen, pausing long enough to make a throat slashing gesture at Ryan from behind the Nana's back. Chewing slowly, a smile again crept onto Ryan's face. He watched Seth make his way through the living room while showing Ryan what was waiting for him. Faking stab wounds and more throat slashings caused Ryan let a chuckle escape under his breath.  
  
Taking another bite of his sundae, he noticed the Nana was watching him and his smile slowly disappeared when his tongue ran over his lips to retrieve chocolate sauce that somehow missed his mouth.  
  
"So you really are like brothers. That's good. Makes me happy for both of you."  
  
Back to embarrassed mode, Ryan twirled his spoon in his ice cream.  
  
"Oh don't you start pouting now too. It's not your fault he such an easy target to torment." A sly smile revealed that maybe she had done her sharing of tormenting Seth too. She was definitely enjoying this little ice cream escapade at his expense. "I'm off to go shopping. Enjoy." Leaving the kitchen, she left Ryan alone with his sundae and his homework.  
  
By dinnertime Ryan was pretty much caught up with his homework. He had a couple of things left to do but nothing earth shattering. It could wait. Happy to be released from homework hell, he changed into his swim trunks and went back to the kitchen for a drink. There he found Kirsten setting up take out containers for dinner, Mexican food, one of his favorites.  
  
"Ryan, you're just in time for dinner. Grab a plate."  
  
Looking at the food, Ryan didn't want to admit he wasn't that hungry. That sundae the Nana made him was enough to last him till tomorrow. Still, he knew Kirsten would never let him walk away from the dinner table without eating. And if he did, she would spend the rest of the night trying to feed him or make sure he wasn't getting sick. Making a plate of food, Ryan sat down at the table.  
  
"Wow. I can't believe you're actually hungry after that monstrosity you called a snack from earlier."  
  
"What monstrosity?" Kirsten inquired looking at Seth. She knew Ryan never ate much and quite honestly, the fact that he had a snack during the day was rather out of the norm.  
  
Putting his hands on his hips and nodding, "Yep. Monstrosity. As in Nana's famous ice cream sundaes."  
  
"Oh how nice of Nana to make you guys sundaes."  
  
"No. No mother. The Nana was evil. She didn't make sundaes for everyone, she only made one sundae...for Ryan."  
  
Coming to a halt on plating up food, Kirsten looked at Seth. "Nana didn't give you any ice cream?"  
  
"Nooo...she only gave it to Ryan. And then, Ryan had the audacity to show me the ice cream in his mouth."  
  
Remembering the look on Seth's face, Ryan laughed to himself at the table while locking eyes with Kirsten. He couldn't control himself. The visual was overwhelming.  
  
"Ryan...no showing food in your mouth."  
  
"That's it? No showing food in your mouth??? How about 'Gee Ryan, why didn't you share your sundae with Seth?' or 'Bad Ryan for teasing Seth that way?' Doesn't anything better come to mind?"  
  
"Seth didn't do his homework. That's why he didn't get a treat."  
  
"Oh sure. Throw that in there too. Why don't you just stab me in the eye with your fork while you're at it!"  
  
"It can be arranged. Come over here."  
  
"Alright boys. That's enough. Seth. Sit. Eat."  
  
Disgusted Seth took his plate and sat down next to Ryan, staring at him. This was not over. Not by a long shot. Taking his own fork, Seth made a defiant move and stabbed Ryan's enchilada.  
  
Ryan stopped chewing. Seth could feel his own pulse pick up. This was it. The floodgates had been opened. Now he had to see it through, whether he wanted to or not.  
  
Raising only his eyes off his dish, Ryan furled his eyebrows at Seth. "You didn't...just...touch my food?"  
  
Pursing his lips together, "Yes. Yes I did. And I'm not even afraid to do it again." Pretending to be fearless, again Seth raised his fork and stabbed Ryan's dinner three more times.  
  
Leaning in and narrowing his eyes at Seth, a devilish smirk appeared on Ryan's face. Whispering, "You're gonna pay for that."  
  
"Boys. I said that's enough. Eat." Kirsten could see the tension mounting at the table between the two. Albeit, it was all in good fun, still she didn't want them pretending to kill each other at the dinner table.  
  
Taking a bite of his dinner, Seth stood up and walked across the kitchen to get a soda. While away from his dish, Ryan utilized the opportunity to add some kick to Seth's meal. Generously shaking the bottle of hot sauce, he was pleased to see it blending right into the enchilada sauce. Seth would never know what hit him until it was too late.  
  
In an effort to remain tough looking, Seth slammed his drink down on the table and sat back down. Returning a stare, Ryan slowly chewed his mouthful of food. Thinking he could pull off his own intimidating stare, Seth forked up a large piece of his enchilada and shoved it in his mouth. Ryan, by this time, had stopped chewing and put his own fork down. Crossing his arms in front of his plate, he sat and waited for the fireworks to start.  
  
Within seconds, Seth's eyes were watering and he was starting to cough and whimper. And the whimpers turned to cries of agony. Barely able to sit in his chair much longer he spit his mouthful out in his napkin and reached for his drink. Bad idea. The carbonation only fueled the burning in his mouth. Jumping up from the table he raced to the sink and put his mouth under the faucet.  
  
Entering the kitchen again, Kirsten was confused by the scene before her. Seth was drinking straight out of the faucet and Ryan was laughing himself senseless at the table. "What is going on in here?"  
  
Trying to compose him self, "I guess Seth used too much hot sauce," Ryan offered.  
  
Upon hearing that news, Seth gave up on the water and turned to Ryan, "Oh you are so dead!" Bolting across the kitchen, he caught Ryan off guard by tackling him right out of his chair and onto the floor where they continued to wrestle.  
  
"Oh my God! Stop it! Stop it! Boys!" Rushing across the kitchen, Kirsten straddled Ryan's body trying to get a hold on one of them, either of them. She did her best to break them up but they were just too strong not to mention entirely too engrossed.  
  
"Alright, alright! That's enough! Stop! Stop! SANDY!!!"  
  
Hearing the commotion in the kitchen Sandy came running to find the trio flailing on the kitchen floor. One quick move by Seth knocked Kirsten's foot loose sending her sprawling onto Ryan's stomach.  
  
"HEY! That's enough! You're gonna hurt your mother!" Lifting Kirsten off of Ryan, Sandy looked at the boys. Both were all scruffy and out of breath from wrestling. "What is going on in here?"  
  
"Ryan dumped hot sauce on my dinner!"  
  
"Seth stabbed my enchilada! Repeatedly!"  
  
"Okay, okay. I think I've heard enough. Nobody plays with anyone else's food. Period. You mind what's on your own dish. Now sit down and eat. Not a peep out of either of you," Kirsten ordered.  
  
Straightening her clothes and brushing the hair out of her eyes, Kirsten watched the boys quietly take their seats at the table. The staring was already starting all over again and Kirsten decided it was time to put her foot down. Leaning onto the table between the boys, she laid down the law.  
  
"I said enough. Let me put it this way...if I can't trust you two to be home alone tonight without killing each other, then I will take you both with me to the charity event planning committee meeting. I'm sure that's how you guys would love to spend your Saturday night. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
Finally the stares broke and both boys nodded at Kirsten. They were having plenty of fun in good old brotherly fashion but they certainly didn't want to take it so far that their evening would be ruined.  
  
"Good. Ryan, eat. Seth I'll get you a new enchilada. You'll choke if you eat that one." Taking Seth's plate, she walked away from the table leaving the two boys alone.  
  
"I'm gonna get a new one. You still have to eat that broken, stabbed one."  
  
"SETH!"  
  
"Just stating a fact mom. Chock full of quiet now."  
  
Ryan was doing his best to look engrossed in his plate, but he still managed to shoot a look or two over in Seth's direction. "At least I don't play with plastic horses," he mumbled under his breath.  
  
Gasping, Seth developed an unnatural nod of the head. "He's not just any horse Ryan, he's Captain Oates! How dare you insult my noble steed?"  
  
"That's not bickering I hear...is it boys?"  
  
"Nope. Not from me," Ryan offered.  
  
"Oh no, not from me either," Seth countered.  
  
Drumming her fingers on the counter, Kirsten watched the boys. This little game of theirs was getting on her last nerve.  
  
"Can I be excused?" Ryan asked, wiping his face and looking at Kirsten with innocent eyes.  
  
"Ryan...you couldn't have finished your..." Looking at his plate, Ryan had eaten rather well, at least, as well as Ryan would normally eat. Sighing, "Okay Ryan, you can go."  
  
"Mom, that's so not fair. Ryan foiled my dinner and because of that he should be forced to sit here with me until I'm done."  
  
"Actually Seth, I think some quiet time would be good for both of you. Eat."  
  
"Yeah, besides, the playstation is calling me."  
  
Seth tried everything he could think of to delay Ryan's departure from the table, from holding onto Ryan's chair with his feet, to grabbing his shirt to swinging his fork in Ryan's direction. It didn't take long for a little scuffle to ensue for the second time. Laughing both boys tried to lock each other down.  
  
"AHEM!!!"  
  
Holding still with Ryan in a headlock, "Mom, come on. This is just a little brotherly love. We're fine. Aren't we Ryan?"  
  
"Yep." With Ryan's muffled reply directed at the floor, Kirsten found it difficult to keep a straight face.  
  
"Seth, let go of Ryan's head."  
  
Standing up, Ryan and Seth shared a look.  
  
"Don't even start you two. I'm warning you."  
  
"We're not starting anything. Can I be excused?"  
  
Before Kirsten could manage an answer, Seth approved his own release from the table, yelled something about the Playstation and rotten eggs and both boys bolted from the kitchen.  
  
Standing in the kitchen, Kirsten smirked and listened to their conversation...  
  
"Ryan, since when do you ask to be excused from the table anyways? You never did that before and now you got me doing it!"  
  
"I know. I just wanted your mom to make you sit there longer and it almost worked."  
  
"You're evil Ryan. That was very evil of you. Ingenious, but evil."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Nana, what are you doing up so late? It's after midnight." Kirsten was surprised to find her in the kitchen this hour, especially with the house so quiet.  
  
"Oh I just came down for some milk. I was having trouble winding down for the night. I thought this might help." Sipping her milk she smiled into the family room.  
  
"What is it Nana?"  
  
"They really are like regular brothers those two. I'm so happy for Sethula. Ryan is good for him."  
  
"Oh they're like regular brothers alright, you should have been here during dinner tonight. Which I might add stemmed from the fact that you didn't give Seth any ice cream this afternoon."  
  
Chuckling to herself, the Nana remembered the scene from that afternoon. "Oh yes. I remember. I'll make him one tomorrow. I've made so many of those sundaes for Seth. I can't even count how many. But that was the first one I made for Ryan. You should have seen his eyes light up Kirsten. It was like no one ever did that for him before."  
  
Kirsten smiled with understanding. "You're probably right. There are many things that Ryan never had. He's not always good at saying how he feels, but as you noticed, his eyes talk for him most of the time."  
  
"Well, between Seth's mouth and Ryan's eyes I think they are both done talking for today." With that the Nana rinsed out her glass in the sink.  
  
"What do you mean?" It was an odd comment that had Kirsten wondering.  
  
Chuckling quietly, "What did you think I was smiling at? They're both asleep on the couch in the family room. And, true to their personalities, Ryan is scrunched on one side while Seth is spread out across the rest of the couch. Obviously, Ryan is the giving brother and Seth is the taker. That's why they are so close. You have one of each. Good night Kirsten."  
  
"Good night Nana."  
  
Walking into the family room, Kirsten could understand why the Nana was smiling. As if they were little boys all over again, they played until they wore themselves out and just dropped where they were. Removing the potato chip bag from under Seth's arm, she scooted his legs over to the back of the cushion. Taking Ryan's legs from the coffee table, she swung them onto the couch, causing Ryan to stir.  
  
"Scoot down Ryan. There you go. Go back to sleep. It's late," she whispered, brushing his hair out of his eyes.  
  
Obediently, Ryan's eyes closed and his breathing got deep. He was out again.  
  
Grabbing a blanket from the hall closet, she spread it out over the boys. Placing a gentle kiss on each of their heads, she quietly left the room. Pausing at the light switch, she smiled at them. Brothers. She liked the sound of that. More importantly, she liked the look of it.  
  
"Sweet dreams boys. Tomorrow is another day." 


End file.
